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Kelowna music students rock New York

The Big Apple will forever be in the hearts of seven students from Wentworth Music.

The band Millennium, part of the Wentworth Band Factory program, just returned from New York where they spent a busy week training with performance coach Norma Garbo (Taylor Swift, Scissor Sisters, Kara Dioguardi) in preparation for their performance at the Rockwood Music Hall.

The performers, ages 14 to 31, performed a nine-song set to a full house of singing and cheering audience members from around the world.

“The experience was over the top,” said Noel Wentworth, vice-president of education at Wentworth Music.

“We could not believe at the end of the performance the number of people who approached us asking where we were from and how old our band members were.

“We exchanged business cards from a Broadway producer, talent management, and even had a request to send in a demo to the president of Mercury Records.”

This is the second international trip students from the Wentworth Music Education Centre have taken this year.

“Our last band trip in March to Singapore opened up quite a few doors,” explained Wentworth.

Wentworth Music has had leaders in music education come from as far away as England and Singapore to learn about their school here in Kelowna.

“It’s amazing how small the world is,” said Wentworth.

“Now with our trip to New York under our belt, I feel we are starting to validate the international attention we have been working so hard to achieve.

“The possibilities for the future are endless. If we can make it to New York, we can make it anywhere!”

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